The Marriages of Halstead are a curiousity because an Ecclesiastical error in the 1880's meant that the use of a chapel licensed for burials was developed into the the parish church and the Ancient parish church was demolished in 1880/1881. Subsequent marriages were taking place in a building which had no rights for Church marriage due to a failure to transfer that right from the Ancient Parish Church. 119 marriages which took place until 1919 were technically invalid rendering many of the population of Halstead illegitimate. This was resolved by a 1920 Act of Parliament which validated these marriages and licensed the church for marriages.
The rural parish of Halstead was one of farmers fruitgrowers and shepherds. It is 1.4 miles from the railway station at neighbouring Knockholt which was constructed and opened in 1876 as "Halstead for Knockholt" station on the 1868 South Eastern Railway line from Orpington to Sevenoaks and Tonbridge. The marriage register includes many entries for railway workers resident in Halstead from Station staff to platelayers and Engine Drivers. One railway family connected to Halstead through a marriage includes an interesting occupation here.
The register contains a printed invitation to all men of the village to assemble as part of the preliminary mobilisation for the First World War. It has been used absently mindedly to make a note on the reverse. The subsequent entries reflect not only service in the Army and Navy but Halstead women serving in the Territorial Force Nursing Service. Marriage of Canadians from The Ontario Canadian Hospital Orpington are also noteworthy.
My transcript of this marriage register has been completed and is being prepared for publication at Kent Online Parish Clerks in due course.
© Henry Mantell Downe and Farnborough Online Parish Clerk 2013-2020
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